Andhra Pradesh To Set Up LED Lights In All Villages

Andhra Pradesh, which has emerged as a pioneer in providing LED street lighting in all the municipal areas in the state, is going to become the no. 1 state in the country in achieving LED street lighting in rural areas as well.

Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on Sunday that he will make Andhra Pradesh a completely energy efficient state by installing LED bulbs across the length and breadth of the state, the Government of India has contemplated to take up 100% Rural LED street lighting programme in the state with an investment of a whopping Rs.716 crore. Already, the state has initiated measures to procure 10 lakh LED street lights through EESL GoI for installation in the gram panchayats.

Another 30 lakh LED streetlights on saturation basis (100%) will be procured to cover all the remaining gram panchayats in the state. These measures would immensely benefit the gram panchayats with substantial energy and monetary savings.

According to an official statement here, the Union ministry of power, in a communication to AP government has decided to depute a three-member high-level team headed by Saurabh Kumar, managing director of EESL Government of India to Amaravati on Monday to discuss the operational and financial modalities and to come to the conclusion in implementation of this gigantic program with minister Nara Lokesh.

his was disclosed by chief secretary Dinesh Kumar to the chief minister. Expressing satisfaction over the initiative, the chief minister, in a teleconference with the officials, reiterated his commitment to develop both rural and urban areas which were like two eyes for him.

He said his objective was to enhance the quality of life of the people in the rural areas and even hamlets. Stating that rural development was an important segment of total economic development of the state, the chief Minister said his government had grounded several infrastructural development projects like laying of cement-concrete roads in villages and tribal hamlets.

“In recognition of our efforts, the Government of India is expected to provide more than Rs 5000 crore for the rural development under MGNREGS, which is almost 1/10th of the total national grant of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The LED street lighting programme is an excellent project for social, economic and environmental benefits in the rural areas. I am sure that the villages will attain an entirely new look with new roads and brighter LED lighting,” he said.

“Andhra Pradesh has taken a lead in the country in municipal street lighting and installed six lakh street lights in a very short span and I am sure that we will break our own records and install 40 Lakh LED Street Lights within one year,” Lokesh said.